Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerDevils defenseman Bryce Salvador checks the Bruins Nathan Horton last season. Salvador says he won't attempt to play in Europe during the lockout.

He could be the Devils’ next captain. That possibility, along with getting a paycheck, would figure to have Bryce Salvador champing at the bit to see a settlement on a new NHL collective bargaining agreement.

But the veteran defenseman has always approached matters with intelligence and clarity, which is why he is not fixated on a quick settlement between the players’ association and league owners.

“The way I look at it is I’m focusing more on having the right deal, not so much on how many games we’ll be able to play,” Salvador said. “We need the right deal so this doesn’t happen every five or six years. That’s what the players are striving for. We just have to get it right.”

Hockey related revenue is the major issue, with players getting 57 percent of HRR in the expired CBA.

Owners would like to go from 43 percent of revenues to 53.

Salvador wonders why that is suddenly so vital.

“A few months ago the NHL announced a record season with $3.3 billion in revenue. Now, all of a sudden teams can’t survive,” he said. “I understand if you own something you don’t want people telling you how to run it, but we just can’t continue to give concessions.”

He feels the union, headed by Donald Fehr, has bent but says commissioner Gary Bettman and the league are playing hardball.

“We came to them with a deal,” Salvador said.

Despite the fact that regular-season games have been canceled through Oct. 24, Salvador isn’t considering playing in Europe.

“Myself, no. I’ve taken the mentality that a year off did me good last time,” he said, referring to missing the 2010-11 season with a cochlear concussion.

“I’m taking care of the body. If this was ’04-05 and I was back in my mid 20s, I’d go play somewhere. I have kids now. They’re in school (in New Jersey). This is different. I’m skating and working out, trying not to over-analyze.”

What isn’t different is the dark cloud that hangs over the NHL season. The entire 2004-05 season was canceled because of a lockout. Will it happen again?

“As soon as talks weren’t happening (regularly) I kind of already knew some games would be canceled,” Salvador said.

“I don’t know if I’m discouraged. Maybe a little more disappointed.

“This has been brewing for six years. You don’t want to go through this every six years. You can only fool the fans so many times. It gets old.”